Art of manufacturing boots and shoes



0. E. MOLYNEUX ART OF MANUFACTURING BOOTS AND snows Filed Sept. 18

Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

GEORGE E. MOLYNEUX, OF BAYONNE, NE

GHINERY CORPORATION, JERSEY. I

PAT Fries.

W JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE-MA- OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW ART OF MANUFACTURING BOOTS AND SHOES.

Application filed. September To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. MoLYNnUx, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bayonne, in the county of Hudson and the State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Art of Manufacturing Boots and Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to a boot or shoe and the method of making it.

Shoes most commonly in use comprise a lining of fabric and an upper of leather; and usually the upper and the lining, each consisting of several parts stitched together, are assembled by being stitched together and then this composite member is placed, together with a sole or an insole, upon a last and the manufacture of the shoe completed, the particular manner of attaching the upper to the sole or .insole depending upon whether the shoe is to be of the turned, I

McKay, Goodyear welt, Stitchdown, or other type. In any event, the upper, which, as has been stated, is commonly of leather, is made of several'pieces of sheet material cut to the proper size and shape and stitched or otherwise fastened together. -Leather is an expensive material; and skilled labor is required to make the patterns, cut the leather pieces, fasten them properly together and incorporate the leather upper in a shoe.

According to the present invention, no leather or other sheet material is used in making the upper. Instead, the shoe is made up to a certain point in the usual manner except that no upper is provided; and the exposed lining, which is preferably of a special fabric, is covered with a liquid having contained therein a substance which upon evaporation of the liquid leaves a coating of tough, flexible material on the lining. This coating may be applied at any suitable stage in the manufacture of the shoe after the lining has been lasted. In the manufacture of the particular welt shoe herein described, it is applied after the sole has been attached and rough rounded.

18, 1922. Serial No. 588,860.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a shoe, substantially complete except for the upper and the heel, in process of having grease applied to the Welt and sole so as to prevent the coating material subsequently to be applied from adprocess of being fabric in which, the capability of stretching is substantially the same in two directions. For example, a cotton fabric such as that used in the manufacture of automobile tires may be employed. It is desirable that the fabric possess this capability, so that substantially all of the stretch may be taken out of it during the pulling over and lasting operations, and that it possess great strength. The layer of coating material 7 which is caused to adhere to it and forms the upper of the finished shoe does not pos sess the strength of leather or the other materials now commonly used; and it is therefore desirable that the lining or foundation of the finished shoe be strong and practically incapable of stretching. After the lining or foundation 5 has been made, with suitable pockets if desired for the reception of the box toe stiffener 9 and counter stiffener 11, the lining with the stiffener is placed together with an insole 13 upon a last 15. Before, however, the assemwbling of these parts upon the last takes place, those portions of the last which will be exposed after the lasting of the lining has been completed are covered with oiled silk 17 or some suitable material or substance which will prevent the liquid, later to be sprayed upon the shoe, from reaching the last. The exposed portions of the last,

- ing against the strain of the pulling-over and lasting operations so that it will be stretched to its uttermost. The lining is now pulled over and lasted, care being taken to remove substantially all the "stretch of which the original fabric was capable, after which the welt 21 and outsolc 23 are attached in the usual manner and the sole rough rounded. At this point the lining or foundation '5 is cleaned to remove all dirt and grease and is shrunk. Benzine, or benzine and water may be used for this purpose. If, after the lining has been cleaned and dried, any wrinkles appear these may be moistened and ironed out with a hot tool.

* The bottom of the sole, the edges of the sole wise covered to prevent the sprayed material from adhering to them.

The shoe thus partly made is then subjected to a spray of coating material. To this end the shoe may be placed upon a turn-table 25, which is rotated in any suitable manner While the coating material 27 is sprayed upon it. Considerable force is used so as to embed the first portion of the coating material in the interstices of the fabric which have been more or less opened by the stretching to which the fabric has been subjected. The coating material may consist of any suitable substance such, for example, as a solution of one of the esters of cellulose with the addition of castor oil or of some similar substance to render the final coating more pliable. For example, 8 ounces of nitro-cellulose and 8 ounces of castor oil may be dissolvedn one gallon of liquid made up of benzol 60%, ethyl alcohol 20%, butyl acetate 10%, and ethyl acetate 10%.

After the coating has reached the desired thickness, the edge and bottom of the sole are wiped off and the coated shoe hung up by a hook 29 or placed upon the bars 31 of a rack and allowed to stand until the solvent has evaporated and the coating has set or seasoned, heat being employed, if desired, to hasten the process. The tacks are pulled out and the last removed from the shoe. The tack holes are very small and in most cases not objectionable. They may, however, be covered by facings if desired. The eyelet stays are next sewed on, and the shoe finished including setting the eyelets,

attaching the heel and finishing the edges of the sole and heel.

Although the article has been described in connection with the manufacture of a particular shoe and the method as being carried out by steps in a given order, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular shoe nor to the particular order of the steps.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The methodi of manufacturing a shoe which comprises assembling a lining and a. bottom member upon a last, drawing the lining tightly about the last and spraying upon the lining a coating substance to form 1 the upper.

2. The method of manufacturing a shoe which comprises assembling a lining and a bottom member upon a last, fastening to the last the top edge and the edges along the opening in the front of the lining, drawing the lining tightly about the last while it is so fastened and thereby stretching it thoroughly, and spraying upon the lining a coating substance to form the upper.

8. The method of manufacturing a shoe which comprisesmaking the shoe including a lining substantially complete except for the upper and then spraying upon the exposed lining a liquid having contained therein a substance which upon drying leaves a tough, flexible coating adhering to the lining.

4. The method of manufacturing a shoe which comprises preparing a lining of fabric in which the capability of stretching is substantially the same in at least two directions, assembling the lining together with a bottom member upon a last, fastening to the last the upper edges of the lining, exerting a pull upon the lining while it is so fastened suflicient to stretch it substantially to its utter-most, and thereafter completing the manufacture of the shoe includ ing applying to the stretched lining a coating of upper material.

5. The method of manufacturing a shoe which comprises preparing a lining of fabric in which the capability of stretching is substantially the same in at least two directions, asembling the lining together with a bottom memberupon a last, fastening to the last the upper edges of the lining, exerting a pull upon the lining while so fastened sufficient to stretch it substantially to its uttermost and thereafter completing the manufacure of the shoe including spraying upon the stretched lining a liquid having contained therein a substance which upon drying leaves a coating of upper material on the lining.

6. Themethod of manufacturing a shoe which comprises covering the top and front bling upon the .insole upon a last,

of a last with a protective material, assemlast a fabric lining and a bottom member, drawing the lining tightly about the last and fastening it to the bottom member, spraying a coating substance upon the shoe to form an upper, removing the last and completing the manufacture of the shoe.

7. The method of manufacturing a shoe which comprises assembling a lining and an drawing the lining about the last and attaching it to the insole, attaching an outsole, an oil nature to the edge and bottom of the outsole, spraying upon the shoe a liquid material adapted upon drying to form a tough coating, wiping off the edge and bottom of the outsole, removing the last and cou'ipleting the manufacture of the shoe.

8. The method of manufacturing a shoe which comprises assembling a lining and a bottom member upon a last, drawing the lining tightly about the last and spraying upon the lining a liquid having contained applying a covering of,

therein a substance which upon evaporation of the liquid leaves a flexible coating adhering to the lining.

9. The method of manufacturing a shoe which bottom member upon a last, fastening to the last the top edge and the edges along the opening in the front of the lining, drawing the lining tightly about the last While it is so fastened and thereby stretching it thoroughly, and spraying upon the lining a liquid having contained therein a substance which upon evaporation of the liquid leaves a flexible coating adhering to thelining.

10. The method of manufacturing a shoe which comprises assembling a lining and a bottom member upon a last, drawing the lining tightly about the last and spraying upon the lining a solution of a cellulose ester.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE E. MOLYNEUX.

comprises assembling a lining and a 

